Hillary Clinton Says Former First Family Was ‘Broke’ Post-White House

Hillary Clinton in an ABC interview provided plenty of reasons why she and her husband demand such a high rate of pay for their speeches.
–Abc.com screenshot

By

Bruce Wright

June 9, 2014

On the eve of the release of Hillary Clinton’s memoir, “Hard Choices,’’ ABC released a small sample of the former First Lady’s interview with Diane Sawyer, which includes the stunning proclamation that the Clintons were “dead broke’’ after leaving the White House.

Sawyer asked Clinton how she thought Americans would react to knowing she charges five times the median US income for a speech. Clinton responded with the unbelievable description of her family’s financial woes.

“We came out of the White House not only dead broke but in debt. We had no money when we got there. And we struggled to piece together the resources for mortgages for houses and for Chelsea’s education,’’ Clinton said.

Advertisement

The pro-GOP PAC America Rising provided a snapshot of the houses that the Clintons had to “piece together the resources’’ to buy, including a $1.7 million home in Chappaqua, N.Y., and a $2.85 million mansion in Northwest Washington, D.C.

Sawyer noted that Hillary and Bill Clinton have to date collected more than $105 million for their oratory skills alone.

“I thought making speeches for money was a much better thing than getting connected with any one group or company as so many people who leave public life do,’’ Clinton added in an apparent justification for the former First Family’s steep billing practices for speeches.

Bill Clinton earned $200,000 annually while serving as Commander-in-Chief for two terms, including a yearly $50,000 non-taxable expense account. (The presidential salary has since been boosted to $400,000 in annual compensation.)

ABC News will broadcast the interview tonight — one day before Clinton’s new memoir will be published. Sawyer also tackles a couple of other Hillary-related scandals, including Benghazi and Monica Lewinsky.